One of Pat Metheny’s most inspired recording sessions, and today considered a classic album in instrumental and improvised music, 80/81 introduced a whole new side to the then only 26-year old guitarist’s world of sound and saw him connect with revered players from several generations in Charlie Haden, Dewey Redman, Michael Brecker and Jack DeJohnette. Guided by both the free spirit of Ornette Coleman and Metheny and Haden’s shared Mid-Western roots in American folk (they grew up in Missouri and Iowa), the record presents a unique brew of fluid interplay and exploration. In 1980 The Observer wrote: “Pat Metheny has brought his creativity to an unexpected high. 80/81 is a new direction. On the album Metheny has recorded his most sophisticated and improvisational music to date. To accomplish this he has assembled a group of highly skilled and experienced musicians. These musicians, led by Metheny on acoustic and electric guitars, run a gamut of musical styles including folk, straight-ahead post be-bop jazz, and some remarkable unstructured music. The uniting force behind this multitude of styles is a strong sense of freedom and individuality”.
- Pat Metheny Guitar
- Charlie Haden Bass
- Dewey Redman Tenor Saxophone
- Mike Brecker Tenor Saxophone
- Jack DeJohnette Drums
RECORDED
May 1980, Talent Studio, Oslo
